The Cost of True Love: The 12 Days of Christmas [infographic]

29 years ago, a chief economist at PNC Bank decided to figure out how much it would cost to give each of the gifts given in the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” Each year, PNC releases a new Christmas Price Index which shows the current cost of the gifts. Costs have steadily risen, and now true love seems well beyond the financial reach of
college students and can only be purchased by the very wealthy.

Here’s how prices have risen just in the past 10 years:

Gift

2002 Price

2012 Price

% Change

One Partridge in a Pear Tree

$102.50

$204.99

+200%

Two Turtle Doves

$58.00

$125.00

+215%

Three French Hens

$15.00

$165.00

+1,100%

Four Calling Birds

$316.00

$519.96

+165%

Five Golden Rings

$382.50

$750.00

+196%

Six Geese-a-Laying

$150.00

$210.00

+140%

Seven Swans-a-Swimming

$2,100.00

$7,000.00

+333%

Eight Maids-a-Milking

$41.20

$58.00

+141%

Nine Ladies Dancing

$4,107.65

$6,294.03

+153%

Ten Lords-a-Leaping

$3,921.44

$4,766.60

+122%

Eleven Pipers Piping

$1,614.60

$2,562.00

+159%

Twelve Drummers Drumming

$1,749.15

$2,775.50

+159%

Christmas Price Index

$14,558.05

$25,431.18

+175%

True Cost of Christmas*

$54,951.31

$107,300.24

+195%

* The True Cost of Christmas is the cumulative cost of all the gifts when you count each repetition in the song–so it reflects the cost of 364 gifts

A cheaper alternative

If you’re looking for something a little more affordable for your true love, consider giving one of these! It’s a free printable we created of the 12 Days of Christmas graphic.